Former New England Patriots superstar Tom Brady expressed his concerns about the development of young signal-callers in the modern NFL. In a recent interview, Brady lamented the tragedy of young quarterbacks being forced to play at the professional level before they are fully prepared.
According to Brady, the shift from college programs to college teams has led to a decline in the comprehensive development of young quarterbacks. He argues that players are now primarily learning playbooks rather than being exposed to the more holistic program-based approach that was once the norm.
Brady, who didn’t start until his second season in the NFL, credited his college experience at Michigan for helping him adapt to the professional game. He added that it took him five years to learn about drop-back passs, to read defenses, to read coverages, and to be coached.
The trend of young quarterbacks being thrust into the starting role has continued in the 2024 season, with several first-round picks, such as the Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams and the Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, already named as Week 1 starters.
NFL GOAT Tom Brady Shares Thoughts on League’s Quarterback Development
As it stands, the league’s development program for quarterbacks isn’t what it used to be, as Brady has noted. The NFL GOAT shared more, as seen in an article by Scott Polacek for Bleacher Report.
“It used to be thought of at a higher level. We used to spend hours and hours in the offseason, in training camp, trying to be a little bit better the next year. But I think what happens is it discourages the coaches from going to deep levels, because they realize the players don’t have the opportunity to go to a deep level. So they’re just going to teach them where they’re at.”
While this early playing time may allow these young talents to gain valuable experience, Brady believes it comes at the cost of proper development and preparation. He pointed to the success of quarterbacks like Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love, who were able to learn and grow behind veteran starters before taking over the reins.
Brady’s comments reflect a broader concern about the evolving landscape of quarterback development in the NFL, as the league grapples with the balance between nurturing young talent and the pressure to produce immediate results.
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